FOLSOM – The Folsom City Council has approved additional funding to complete accessibility and drainage improvements at the busy intersection of Glenn Drive and School Street, a key connection between the Central Business District and the Historic District. The project will bring the intersection into full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) while improving pedestrian safety and overall drainage.
The latest council action authorizes an additional $14,527 in construction costs after crews encountered unforeseen conditions beneath the roadway. The upgrades are part of a broader effort to modernize aging infrastructure and improve walkability throughout downtown Folsom.
According to Public Works Director Rebecca Neves, the work reflects the city’s ongoing investment in accessible public spaces. “This is a heavily traveled intersection that connects our central business area with the Historic District,” Neves said. “These improvements will make it safer for everyone who walks, bikes, or drives through the area.”
The project includes installation of new ADA-accessible ramps, removal of outdated storm drain inlets, regrading of sidewalks, curbs, and gutters, and new pavement across the intersection. Fresh thermoplastic striping will also be added to crosswalks and stop bars on all approaches. The work is being performed by contractor B&M Civil LLC, which began construction earlier this year under a $118,100 agreement funded through the state’s SB 1 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Fund.
In August, the City Council approved an earlier change order of $38,082 to replace a deteriorating 24-inch storm drain along Glenn Drive. The most recent amendment increases the total project budget to just over $170,000, funded jointly through SB 1 and the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
The project was identified in late 2024 as part of Folsom’s participation in the CDBG program, administered locally through the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA). The city’s current agreement with SHRA, approved in 2023, allocates $42,000 in CDBG funds for qualifying ADA improvements. “This project was identified as an appropriate use of Folsom’s CDBG allocation,” Neves said. “The funding helps us bring key public infrastructure into compliance with ADA standards and improve accessibility in areas that serve our business and residential communities.”
As construction progressed, crews discovered that sections of the existing storm drain were in worse condition than expected. “The existing pipe in Glenn Drive was found to be in worse condition than originally anticipated,” city staff wrote in the report. “The contractor was unable to connect the new pipe to the existing pipe with a concrete collar as planned. Instead, a cast-in-place junction structure was built to ensure a solid connection and minimize potential blockage.”
Another adjustment was required when one of the newly constructed concrete gutters had to be poured slightly lower than planned to ensure proper drainage and prevent debris from collecting in the ADA ramp. The revision increased the amount of asphalt that needed to be removed and replaced.
Despite these additional needs, city staff worked with the contractor to find savings within the project. “Staff worked with the contractor to find cost savings within the project,” the report noted, “including a change in storm drain pipe material and a reduction in the quantity of striping removal.”
Neves emphasized that the work aligns with Folsom’s long-term commitment to maintaining and improving accessibility across public spaces. “These improvements will improve pedestrian safety and accessibility within the intersection,” she said, noting that similar small-scale upgrades are being completed citywide with the help of SB 1 and CDBG funds.
With the latest change order approved, work at the Glenn Drive and School Street intersection is expected to wrap up soon. Once complete, the new ADA ramps, upgraded drainage, and fresh crosswalks will provide a safer and more welcoming connection between Folsom’s business corridor and its historic heart.
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